Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits

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These tender, flaky biscuits are filled with cheddar cheese and spicy jalapeno peppers. They are the perfect compliment to a bowl of soup or chili. Split these delicious biscuits open and slather with butter, or get creative and use them for mini sandwiches or breakfast sliders. They are quick, easy, and ready in about 30 minutes.

Jalapeno cheddar biscuits in a basket lined with a grey striped linen.

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Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
Substitutions & Variations
Storage
Top Tips & FAQS
More Biscuit Recipes
Recipe

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Biscuits are always a great side dish, especially with meals such as soup, chili, or stew. They are also a great alternative to English muffins for breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict, or toasted with butter.

These biscuits are tender, flaky and full of flavour from the sharp cheddar cheese and spicy jalapeno peppers.

They come together quickly using simple ingredients and will be on the table in about 30 minutes.

Change things up by using different cheese or adding some diced ham or cooked bacon.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

All purpose flour – All purpose flour is all you need. This can be replaced with whole wheat flour if you prefer, however you may need a bit more milk.
Baking powder – The leavening agent that makes the biscuits rise.
Kosher Salt – Salt adds flavour. I use kosher salt in all of my baking. If using regular table salt you will want to reduce the amount by half.
Salted butter – I prefer using salted butter in baking however, unsalted butter will work just fine.
Whole milk – The added fat in the whole milk will produce a more tender biscuit. You can replace this with any milk you like, but if using a thinner milk, start by reducing the amount by a few tablespoons to ensure the dough isn’t too wet.
Sour cream – Adds more fat and flavour to the biscuits, making them soft and tender.
Cheddar cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese has a nice bite and balances well with the spicy jalapenos. If you don’t have cheddar, you can replace this with any cheese you like.
Diced, fresh jalapeno peppers – Be sure to use fresh peppers, not canned or pickled. Remove the seeds if you don’t want a lot of spice. You can add as many or as few peppers as you like.

Ingredients for cheddar jalapeno biscuits

Step by Step Instructions

Mix the Biscuit Dough

Step 1 – Start by mixing the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Then dice the butter into small cubes and add them to the flour. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, or rub it in with your fingers until the butter is about the size of small peas.

Step 2 – Add the shredded cheese and diced jalapenos to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Two images, a bowl with flour and butter with a pastry blender, and a bowl with flour mixed with butter, diced jalapeno and shredded cheddar cheese.

Pro-Tip: If you don’t want your biscuits very spicy, you can use fewer jalapeno peppers. If you like a lot of spice, you can either add more peppers or keep the seeds.

Step 3 – Add the sour cream and milk and stir until combined. If the mixture is still very dry, you can add a drizzle of milk until it comes together.

Form the Biscuits

Step 4 – Turn the dough onto a floured countertop or pastry mat. Knead the dough 2-3 times, just to bring the dough together, then press the dough out with your hands.

Fold the dough in half and press out again. Repeat this process three times and then press out to 1 inch thick.

Using a round cutter, cut the biscuits by pressing the cutter down without twisting. Bring the remaining dough together and repeat the process until all the dough is cut.

Two images, a bowl with mixed biscuit dough on the left and a biscuit dough rolled out and cut with a round cutter on the right.

Bake the Biscuits

Step 5 – Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The biscuits should be almost touching. Brush the top of the biscuits with a bit of milk or cream.

Step 6 – Bake the biscuits until golden brown. Allow the biscuits to cool for a few minutes, then serve.

Two images, raw biscuits on a small baking sheet on the left, and baked biscuits on a small baking sheet sitting on a cooling rack on the right.

Pro-Tip: Placing the biscuits close together will help the biscuits rise instead of spreading out, creating taller, flakier biscuits.

Substitutions & Variations

There are a few ways you can customize this recipe or make substitutions if you need.

Milk – While the higher fat in the whole milk will provide a more tender biscuit, you can use any milk you like. 2% or skim will work just fine, but because they are thinner you will want to start with a bit less to ensure the dough isn’t too wet. You could also use buttermilk or cream if you wish.
Cheese – If you don’t like cheddar cheese or don’t have any on hand, you can use almost any cheese you like instead. Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Swiss, or gouda are all great choices. Just be sure to use freshly shredded if possible as it will provide much better results than pre-shredded.
Jalapenos – The diced jalapenos give these biscuits a nice, spicy kick, but they can be omitted if you wish. Be sure you are using fresh, not pickled, as pickled jalapenos will add too much salt and moisture. Add more jalapenos for spicier flavour, fewer for milder flavour. If you like a lot of spice, then you can leave the seeds instead of removing them.
Add-ins – There are plenty of things you can add to these biscuits for even more flavour combinations. They are delicious with some cooked, diced bacon, or diced ham. You can even add some dried herbs, like parsley or chives, or add some garlic powder.

Cheddar jalapeno biscuits in an oval basket lined with a grey striped linen.

Storage

Baked biscuits can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for about three days.

You can also store the baked biscuits in the freezer. Seal the biscuits in an air-tight container or ziplock bag. They will keep for several months.

Top Tips & FAQS

Be careful not to overwork the dough. Knead just enough to bring the dough together, then press and fold to create the layers.
You can use any milk you like, but thinner milk like skim or 2% will create a slightly wetter dough. Cut the milk back by a couple of tablespoons and add more as needed.
Use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded packaged cheese for best results.

Can I make gluten-free biscuits?

You can make gluten-free biscuits by replacing the all-purpose flour with your favourite 1:1 gluten-free blend. Be sure it is a flour replacement and not a baking mix that contains leaveners or salt. All gluten-free flour performs differently. You may need more or less milk, depending on how the flour absorbs liquid.

Can I prepare biscuits ahead of time?

You can prepare biscuits ahead of time to bake later if you wish. Prepare the biscuits as directed and place them on the baking sheet, then cover the baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator. When it comes time to bake, remove the biscuits from the fridge, place them in the preheated oven, and bake as directed.